ALCL01995: Agricultural Land Classification Survey Maps and Reports for England and Wales

Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) survey data for the Belford site in Berwick, collected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food between 1989 and 1999. The dataset includes scanned original paper maps, survey reports, and for some surveys, unedited sample point soils data and soil pit descriptions. It is published by the Government Digital Service and contains Natural England and Ordnance Survey data under Crown copyright.

Use Cases

• Classify agricultural land quality based on the detailed grading methodology described in the survey reports.
• Analyze soil characteristics and land suitability for specific sites based on the available soil pit descriptions and sample point data.
• Map land capability at varying scales (from 1:5,000 to 1:50,000) for regional planning and environmental impact assessments.
• Study historical land use and soil data trends for sites surveyed in the post-1988 period.

Strengths

• Uses the current grading methodology, including the subdivision of Grade 3 into subgrades 3a and 3b.
• Includes original scanned maps and reports, providing primary source material.
• Contains supplementary soil data (sample points and pit descriptions) for some surveys.

Limitations

• Row count, column names, and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), published via Government Digital Service.

Collection Method

Detailed site surveys conducted by MAFF, with data including scanned maps and reports.

Time Range

1989 to 1999

Freshness

Data collection occurred between 1989 and 1999; last update date is unknown.

Geography

Belford (Berwick B.W.L.P. Site 7), England and Wales